title: The role of midkine in skeletal remodelling.
abstract: Bone tissue is subjected to continuous remodelling, replacing old or damaged bone throughout life. In bone remodelling, the coordinated activities of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts ensure the maintenance of bone mass and strength. In early life, the balance of these cellular activities is tightly regulated by various factors, including systemic hormones, the mechanical environment and locally released growth factors. Age-related changes in the activity of these factors in bone remodelling can result in diseases with low bone mass, such as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a systemic and age-related skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and structural degeneration of bone tissue, predisposing the patient to an increased fracture risk. The growth factor midkine (Mdk) plays a key role in bone remodelling and it is expressed during bone formation and fracture repair. Using a mouse deficient in Mdk, our group have identified this protein as a negative regulator of bone formation and mechanically induced bone remodelling. Thus, specific Mdk antagonists might represent a therapeutic option for diseases characterized by low bone mass, such as osteoporosis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This article is part of a themed section on Midkine. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2014.171.issue-4.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, Center of Musculoskeletal Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liedert
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schinke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ignatius
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000078792:Midkine; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; C066845:pleiotrophin; D000078792:Midkine
keywords: bone remodelling; midkine; midkine antagonist; midkine receptor; midkine signalling; osteoporosis; osteoporosis treatment